Hand-truck



J. F. CALLAHAN.

HAND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. me.

Patented June 8,

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JOHN F. GALLAHAN, 0F SCOIIA, NEW YORK; SARAH DE WAN OALLAHAN ADMINIS- TRATBIX OF SAID JOHN F. CALLAI-IAN, DECEASED.

HAND-TRUCK.

Application filed. January 12, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OALLAHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scotia,-county of Schenectady, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a hand-truck whereby packages can be readily removed from a floor and transported without substantial change in the upright position of the package.

Other objects will appear in connection with the following description.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in side elevation showing a hand-truck embodying my invention in the operation of loading thereupon a box or similar package, and indicating by dotted lines the position of the truck and package in transit.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a broken-- away part of the truck-body showing a modified form of take-up mechanism for the hook which engages the upper front portion of the package.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the hook for supporting the upper front end of the package.

Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of the brace, which prevents the package from falling back upon the body of the truck.

Referring to the drawings wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, 1 is the body of the truck, the forward end of which is mounted upon wheels, 2. A package-supporting shoe, 3, projects from the front end of the truck-body, preferably in a plane substantially parallel with the truckbod A t the inner end of the shoe, 3, an abrupt shoulder, 4, is formed adapted to engage the lower rear corner of a box or similar package, 5, in the manner shown in Fig. 1, the lower rear corner of the box, thus resting in the angular seat formedby said shoulder and the inner end of the shoe, 3, and being prevented from rearward movement by said shoulder, 4.

A member, 6, preferably in the form of Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 211,493.

a double-pointed hook, is adapted to engage:

a pawl-and-ratchet, 11, mounted on the truck-body, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the device, the shoe, 3, is forced beneath the rear corner of the box,-for which operation the box may be tilted slightly forward, so that the lower rear corner may be seated in the angle between the shoulder, 41;, and the inner end of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 1, and the hook, 6, is placed in engagement with the upper front corner-portion of the box, and the chain, 7, is drawn taut in engagement with the claw, 8, thereby preventing any forward movement of the upper end of the box rela tively to the truck-body.

The rear end of the truck-body is then forced down, causing the box to be raised from the floor until the box assumes its normal upright position, in which position it can be maintained in transit from place to place.

To further support the box and prevent it from swaying out of substantially upright position, I provide means for supporting the rear side of the box at a point substantially above said shoulder, at, which prevents the box from falling over upon the body of the truck, and holds the box upright.

I'have shown for this purpose a brace, 12,

in the form of a yoke pivotally mounted at 13, upon the body of the truck, which brace is adapted to be swung to and from a forwardly-and-upwardly inclined. position to engage the rear side of the box, 5, at a point above the shoulder, 41, as shown by solid lines in Fig. 1. If the nature of the package is such that the brace, 12, is not required, it can be swung back out of the way to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

I have shown the rear end of the truckbody upwardly offset at 1 1, and provided Patented June 8, 1920. i

with a handle, 15, which by reason of said offset is conveniently located to be grasped by the user of the truck standing erect in moving the truck from place to place.

I have shown the shoe, 3, formed with spurs or points, 16, adapted to be driven sufliciently into a box or similar package to support the lower rear corner of the package when it is found inconvenient to raise the lower rear corner'to permit the'shoe to be inserted therebeneath. In this use of the shoe, the truck is forced against the lower rear side of the package to drive the spurs, 16, thereinto. The hook, 6, is placed in engagement with the upper front corners of the package, adjustable connection, 7 is taken up taut, and the package is then raised slightly from the floor and transported to the desired place in substantially the manner above described, the only difference being that the lower'r'ear corner is supported by'the spurs, 16, instead of by the angular seat formed between the shoulder, 4-, and the inner end of the shoe.

It is'chara'cteristic of my invention that the truck has meansfor engaging the rear side of the package at a substantial dis tance above the angular seat for the lower rear corner of the package when the package is substantially erect, and when the body of the truck is in normal traveling position, and in addition to this has adjustable means connected with the truckbody and engageable with the front side of the package when in upright position with the body of the truck in normal traveling position, as a result of which the package nection with the truck-body; and means for supporting the rear side of said package at a point substantially above its lower rear corner with the package in substantially upright position and with the handle-portion of the truck-body in substantially horizontal position. y

In testimony whereof, 'I have hereunto set 7my hand this 31st day of December, 191

' JOHN CALLAHAN 

